Orlando, FL Police to Encrypt all police talkgroups

[902]

HIPPA(sic)? HIPAA has nothing to do with encryption; there is no HIPAA policy that demands such action, indeed just the opposite is true. Take a look at this government document and search for "encryption".

What other "privacy regs." are you referring to?

You've got a point, Lou. HIPAA is widely misunderstood within the health care industry and the public sector. There are a number of people (mostly lawyers) consulting with these organizations superimposing their personal views into it. The fact is that public safety communications centers are NOT regulated by the constraints of HIPAA (although state privacy laws may apply).

Here's a read from attorneys Wolfberg, Wirth, & Staffelbach: http://www.911dispatch.com/info/hipaa_position.pdf

There is another comment about DHS requiring encryption. That is also incorrect. DHS had considered endorsing standards-based digital communication at one point, making it a requirement to qualify for federal grant funds. This never happened. There is ONE PLACE where the use of digital is required, and where the communication must be P25 phase 1. That is on the 700 MHz mutual aid channels. Other 700 MHz frequencies, with the exception of a handful of low-power analog elibible frequencies, require digital modes that are the equivalent of 1 voice path in 1 12.5 kHz channelspace (for right now). Digital IS NOT REQUIRED anywhere else and encryption is not a requirement at all.

 

[jcardani]

Exactly. As long as the patient's name or other identifiable information is not disclosed over the air there is no HIPAA issue. That's why encryption is not needed.

I took several HIPAA courses when I was working as an auditor at a major hospital in the Philly area.

BTW this is sad news about OPD going encrypted. I recently bought a vacation home in Davenport, FL and Orlando/Orange County was great to listen to.

 

[n2ops]

Lower Crime Rate?

I wonder if the crime rate will go down once scanner listeners can no longer hear the communications?

 

[BaLa]

I wonder if the crime rate will go down once scanner listeners can no longer hear the communications?

lol why would it?

Not to condom this... but you can download software for free off the internet that can decript some of the stander codex on these radios. just plug in your scanner sound port to your sound card and listen in. the audio quolity might be poor but you will understand whats going on.

lol you talking about voice inversion.
I don't think ANY of the recent stuff can be easily decrypted...

 

[BaLa]

delete

 

[kc9geu]

welcome to the police state

Ask not what your country can do for you but what your country can do TO you. We have this fake war on terrorism looking for an invisible enemy. The government that are the terrorists say we need to give up more liberty to keep us same while the damn borders stay wide open-what a crock. My family has been in law enforcement for over 20 years-encryption=corruption. CIA stands for cocaine import agency. Can you people figure it out yet? Moneyrola+no bid contracts with encryption=win win situation for all government corruption. I thought the taxpayers have a say so with the taxpayers money paying for this stuff. Get educated @infowars.com

 

[GTR8000]

Good for them!! I'm all for encryption and digital systems that are unmonitorable! Keeps the whackers and buffs from interfering with us trying to do our JOBS! :twisted:

PS - I just love all the conspiracy theorists that claim we're trying to hide something or we're all part of some huge government "police state" coverup! :lol:

 

[mechman4]

pro96

I looking for some help in trying to get the new control channels to work properly for my pro 96 scanner? I have the software for the pro 96 (win 96) installed the freqs and then uploaded to the scanner, can't get it to work! Help!!!!!!
mechman4@yahoo.com

 

[KF4ZMB]

DHS says nothing about full time encryption.

Before moving to Central Florida myself I used to be a dispatch supervisor in Georgia, and in regards to DHS and encryption (at least when I was dispatching) DHS discouraged encryption. Their main reason was that in an emergency situation where monitoring an adjacent agency might be neccessary encryption could hinder cooperation and mutual response. Now I have heard several people in the past who have never worked in a 911 environment say "well adjacent agencies could share radios", but most times that just doesn't happen. In fact an agency in my area of Georgia back in the day used to use encryption whenever they didn't want the Sheriff's Office to monitor their channels. This particular police chief had such a dislike for the Sheriff that he would many times allow his officers to go in to a violent call without back up just so he didn't have to ask for help from the county. Yes guys believe it or not this type of "foolishness" does go on among some agencies. The encryption days ended when the city council voted to have the dispatch functions for that city performed by the county, however, the chief outfitted all of his officers with Nextels so that he could still communicate with them without going through the "Sheriff's system".

I don't assume, however, that this has anything to do with the Orlando decision. I would assume that it has more to do with the large amount of tourists to this area, and the rising crime rate. Simply put Central Florida rides (admit it or not) on the dollar of the national and international tourist. If someone feels unsafe when they visit a place quite simply they won't visit again. Many tourist (myself included) take their scanners along on a trip. If a tourist can't hear that there is a violent fight going on at a place they plan to visit then they have no reason to fear going there. I am sure there are people that will disagree with me on this, but I am also sure there are those who will realize the truth behind this. I assume this is the same reason that Disney World Security now uses Nextel radios. I can remember listening back in the day to their old 800 MHZ Motorola system and thinking "wow all this stuff goes on at Disney".

Like many posters I completely agree with encrypting SWAT channels etc. Back when Chattanooga TN Police first started using a trunked system they used to broadcast their SWAT Ops in the clear. It was such a good radio signal that I could hear them from my home in Georgia which was usually quite a distance from the SWAT call out in Chattanooga. They finally remedied the problem.

Just my humble thoughts.

 

[citylink_uk]

Not trying to drag this thread away from the issue but... it's interesting to read all these comments about encryption.

Our whole country went to a 100% secure digital TETRA system for 99.9% of Police agencies from 2002 - 2006 from conventional VHF & UHF. From 2009 all Medic & Fire agencies will also be moving onto the system.

I don't think crime would be reduced as a consequence of encrypted transmissions as the number of 'good Samaritans' reporting things to the Police would be equalled out by the crimes that have managed to be foiled due to the criminals not being able to listen in.

It all depends on local issues and whether it’s appropriate to use it. One country, county or state in the case of the US would be different from the next in terms of how necessary ENC is.

I can think of 4 things myself that I’ve phoned the police about as a consequence of listening to the scanner.

We live in changing times....or so they'd like us to believe!

 

[TexScan780D]

The City Of Orlando Police Department has recently confirmed in a response to a local Orlando news media request that it will Encrypt "ALL" Police Talkgroups on their new Motorola 800 Mhz. Digital 9600 Baud Trunked Radio System (System ID 25A) no later than February, 2008.

For the scanner listeners who live within the city limits of City of Orlando start talking and writing your city councilman or city councilwoman letting them know as a citizen of City of Orlando you do not appreciate the City of Orlando Police Department going full time encryption. Also contact the City of Orlando City managers and let them know also you do not appreciate what is going to happen. Let your voices be heard that you do not appreciate what is going on.

 

[brey1234]

Here are a few examples how scanner listeners have HELPED law enforcement. You can kiss that away with full time encryption.

http://www.boston.com/news/local/ar...year_police_veteran_accused_of_armed_robbery/


http://www.wkyc.com/news/news_article.aspx?storyid=78775

http://www.argusobserver.com/articles/2007/08/29/news/03.txt

 

[jcardani]

Anyone know if the local news media will be given access to the system. Either by purchasing radios or other methods?

If the answer is no, the media should stand together and fight this. It's the public's right to know what's going on and the media *is* the eyes and ears of the public. It's funny how the trend of public safety is to encrypt and leave the public out of the loop, but law enforcement has no problem with asking the media and the public for help when they need it!

If I were the head of a news media orgainization in Orlando, and not have access to basic police transmissions, I would just stop reporting crime in that area. And if all the media work together, the public outcry would be so great that they will force the PD to change their mind! Problem is, most media agencies compete against each other so I just don't see them working together on this issue.

I plan to write (not email) local officials with my opinion on Orlando PD's planned encryption.

 

[rkpen]

I'm just a newbie, but I find that listening in to what the police/fire, etc. go through every day makes me more sympathetic to them, not less. A half-hour of local news and a quick look through the newspaper does not give you a clear picture of the B.S. public safety personnel have to put up with. I think if more people knew what is actually going on out here, it would help police, not hurt them.

 

[kikito]

Here are a few examples how scanner listeners have HELPED law enforcement. You can kiss that away with full time encryption.

http://www.boston.com/news/local/ar...year_police_veteran_accused_of_armed_robbery/

That article is particularly interesting not only because it was an actual officer gone bad but it also says and I quote: "The incident is the latest in a string of arrests of city police officers." I wonder if the cop(s) had one of the department's radios and knew they were on to him? If the system was encrypted, he wouldn't been the only one that knew they were after him!

I bet that in Boston and certain other cities, the statistics show that they're most likely to have a problem with "cops gone bad" than from people committing crimes using scanners.... Explaining further in case some take that the wrong way, it means that both incidents are usually really low to non-existent overall, but as soon as you get a few cases on either one, statistics will show it as a big problem.

And the people and entities that want to use the usual justification for encryption because "they don't want the bad guys listening because they might use the info to their advantage", going by that mentality, shouldn't we encrypt ALL aircraft communications since that accounts for one of the biggest attacks and casualties ever on this country on 9/11? Something that already happen NOT something that might happen....

I know some people might consider that "pulling at straws" or that the terrorists or bad guys didn't really need to listen on aircraft comms to accomplish what they did, but how's that any different with Public Safety comms? All the pro/con arguments of encryption can be applied to any other form of communications, in fact, with the aircraft transportation system there is by far more chances of mass casualties than there is with Public Safety at any given time and on a daily basis, so what gives?

 

[leonzo]

Can one of the Orlando area monitors advise what was Sheriff Berry's stance about this especially if the Sheriff Office will or will not follow suit? (as in Orange County, S.O.)

 

[n4voxgill]

Sheriff Beary is busy trying to save his job, as the state ethics hearing is in progress. Orlando budgeted during the past 5 years of budget surpluses to implement radio upgrades. Orange County had other priorities. With the new budget problems created by the state limiting local budgets, Orange County does not have the funding priority for a total upgrade.

 

[n4lne]

Government in the dark

When police and fire start hiding what they are doing they tend to misuse the power they have. If no one can listen in then no one can catch them at what they are really doing. I have worked for a police department for 20 years and I know first hand what goes on when encryption is put in place.

I think there was a court ruling in Florida that will force them to allow listen only access to police and fire frequencies by the news media and maybe the public. Of course you would have to buy a very expensive radio and allow them to program what you are allowed to hear.

You need to raise the public awareness in your area and support news media that try to gain access to the system so they can continue to listen in.

Good Luck

N4lne

 

[nike_guy60]

trunking

isen't there a way to still lisen in some sort of a scanner that can break though it ?

 

[n4voxgill]

No No No